The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act (Cap 586) regulate the processing of personal data whether held electronically or in manual form. The FOICU is set to fully comply with the Data Protection Principles as set out in such data protection legislation.
Purposes for collecting data
The FOICU collects and processes information to carry out its obligations in accordance with present legislation. All data is collected and processed in accordance with Data Protection Legislation and the Freedom of Information Act (Cap. 496).
Recipients of data
Personal information is accessed by the employees who are assigned to carry out the functions of the FOICU as per the Freedom of Information Act (Cap. 496). Disclosure can also be made to third parties but only as authorized by law.
Your rights
You are entitled to know, free of charge, what type of information the Freedom of Information Coordinating Unit holds and processes about you and why, who has access to it, how it is held and kept up to date, for how long it is kept, and what the Unit is doing to comply with data protection legislation.
The GDPR establishes a formal procedure for dealing with data subject access requests. All data subjects have the right to access any personal information kept about them by the FOICU, either on computer or in manual files. Requests for access to personal information by data subjects are to be made in writing and sent to the Delegate of the Data Controller of the FOICU. Your identification details such as ID number, name and surname have to be submitted with the request for access. In case we encounter identification difficulties, you may be required to present an identification document.
The FOICU aims to comply as quickly as possible with requests for access to personal information and will ensure that it is provided within a reasonable timeframe and in any case not later than one month from receipt of request, unless there is good reason for delay. When a request for access cannot be met within a reasonable time, the reason will be explained in writing to the data subject making the request. Should there be any data breaches, the data subject will be informed accordingly.
All data subjects have the right to request that their information is amended, erased or not used in the event the data results to be incorrect.
In case you are not satisfied with the outcome of your access request, you may refer a complaint to the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, whose contact details are provided below.
Retention Policy
Your personal data is collected through the Freedom of Information Act (Cap. 496).
The following schedule outlines the retention requirements for the various categories of documentation within the FOICU.
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Category of Document
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Retention Period
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Justification
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FOI requests
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1 year after FOI request is closed
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The periods in question are being established in order to ascertain that procedures emanating from the FOIA and its Code of Practice can be followed up effectively and efficiently
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Officers nominated within the FOI Network
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Retained until officers are within FOI Network
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Data that needs to be destroyed after the noted timeframes will be disposed of in an efficient manner ensuring that such information is no longer available within the Freedom of Information Coordinating Unit.
Permanent Secretary MJCL’s Delegate - FOICU
The FOICU may be contacted at:
Directorate for Strategy Support
280, Level 3
MEUSAC Building
Republic Street,
Valletta
Telephone: 22478210
Email: foicu@gov.mt
The Data Protection Officer may be contacted on dpo.mjcl@gov.mt
The Information and Data Protection Commissioner
The Information and Data Protection Commissioner may be contacted at:
Level 2, Airways House,
High Street,
Sliema SLM 1549
Telephone: 23287100
Email: idpc.info@gov.mt